CIPA+COPA

CIPA is an act that was put in place to protect children from accessing inappropriate internet sites while in school. Enacted by Congress in 2000, the Children's Internet Protection Act, requires schools and libraries to adhere to certain rules and restrictions to help protect children. Libraries and schools who follow these requirements are eligible to receive discounts through a program called E-rate. This program allows these eligible schools and libraries to have products and services at a more affordable rate. With budgets being low in school districts, this is a great incentive for schools to adopt and adhere to these policies. The rules were last updated in 2011.
 * Definition:**

The Children's Internet Protection Act requires schools and libraries to certify they have technology protection measures included in their Internet safety policy. Pictures that are (a) obscene, (b) child pornography, or (c) harmful to minors, must be blocked or filtered. At least one public hearing must be held and schools and libraries must provide reasonable notice, before this Internet safety policy can be adopted.


 * What does a teacher need to do to adhere to these requirements?**

The main responsibility for the teacher is to be sure he/she is educated on CIPA. More importantly, as CIPA is such a broad act, teachers should be aware of the steps their school district is taking to follow these policies. One cannot abide to a policy if they are unaware of what the guidelines and rules are. Be aware of what filter is being used and know how to contact the computer tech and/or administration with any questions you may have. Educating students on all the rules and policies is also very important. Students cannot be expected to follow rules and policies that they are unaware of. There are many tools and resources available to teachers on [|www.comonsensemedia.org]. There are tutorials, lesson plans by grade, handouts, assessments, videos, and parent tip sheets. There are teacher verification documents on that teachers are to sign saying they embrace and understand this policy and also they have educated their students according to the CIPA requirements. This allows the school district to continue to receive the E-rate benefits that were mentioned above.

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[|www.comonsensemedia.org]

[|www.fundsforlearning.com]

Doni Weber